For You
by Midgardian's Enchantment
Summary: This is a SongFic set to Keith Urban's "For You". Sequel. Someone makes the Ultimate Sacrifice in the line of duty – and it looks like they might have been planning it for a while. Spoilers for the Avengers and all three Ironman Movies. Tissue Warnings apply, Language, & MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH. Part 2 of 5 of Break Your Heart But Make It Better


**For You**

**Summary: This is a SongFic set to Keith Urban's "For You". It is the Sequel to Watching the Sunset Disappear SO GO READ THAT ONE FIRST. Someone makes the Ultimate Sacrifice in the line of duty – and it looks like they might have been planning it for a while. Spoilers for the Avengers and all three Ironman Movies. Tissue Warnings apply, Language, & MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH. **

**Author's Note: I don't own the Avenger's or the Iron Man Movies – pretty sure Marvel's got them locked up tight on that. I also don't own Keith Urban or "For You" but the song fit the best with the way this series is going. I'd apologize for this (but I don't think that will save me). Consider this part two of four (maybe five).**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE #2: It has been brought to my attention that song lyrics are not allow in the fics so I am forced to remove them and take away from the work. However, I do plan on queuing when the lyric would have been placed – and you can find the original work in its entire content cross posted without redactions (and Keith Urban's video) to AO3 under the name: Midgardians_Enchantment.**

The battle had been raging on for many hours and the entire team of Avengers was exhausted. They were flagging, S.H.I.E.L.D. and civilian causalities were mounting and there seemed to be no end to the attacking hoard that had descended upon Lower Manhattan this day. The mix of Extremis Super Soldiers, Doombots, and little round tentacled aliens that spit acidic fire balls were way to organized for the Avengers to be making any leeway into the melee that was laying waste to their great city. Buildings were burning. Homes were being destroyed. _People were dying_.

The Fantastic Four were fantastically absent – apparently swept into an alternate reality courtesy of one Dr. Reed Richards. The specially assigned S.H.I.E.L.D. team that normally dealt with the hyped up Extremis Super Soldiers was conspicuous caught up in another mission. No one knew what to make of the tentacled creatures – Thor's All-Speak didn't work so well on acidic fire spew. They mish-mash of super villains didn't even seem to want anything in particular – except to cause death, destruction, and most importantly – destroy humanity's faith in its mightiest heroes. They apparently didn't get the memo that each Avenger had something worth fighting for like never before.

Steven Grant Rogers A.K.A. Captain America had finally caught up on the seventy years that he'd missed while stuck in the artic glacier and he had a pretty dame waiting on him back at the Avenger's Tower to get this battle done. Darcy Lewis was a feisty piece of work – and he loved her for every minute of it – but she'd kick his ass up one side and down the other if he came home in less than optimal shape for loving her tonight – or she'd have Thor do it for her.

Thor Odinson A.K.A The Norse God of Thunder had found a second home in Midgard with the team of Avengers and one Jane Foster while she worked tirelessly to help repair Midgard's end of the broken Bifrost and he worked on the reparations for what he wayward brother had done. Even with Loki safely imprisoned in Asgard with no chance to ever attack the world again, it still fell prey to other realms looking for a quick conquest – he had no choice but to stay and protect it – and the Archer his brother had so severely compromised. But even immortals tire – and can be killed if circumstances are met.

Clinton Francis Barton A.K.A. Hawkeye could see better and shoot better than most anyone one the face of the planet. And he could see that this was a battle that Avengers were not going to win. Sure, they could go down fighting the good fight and all – but then what happens when there was no more _them_ to stop the next advancing wave? What happens when the World Safety Council decides that this has gone on long enough and it's time to weight the needs of the many against the needs of the few – again. He glances over to his red-headed partner in crime – she's thinking what he's thinking. _When's the nuke coming_?

Natalia Alianovna Romanova A.K.A. Natasha Romanoff A.K.A. The Black Widow has done a lot of terrible things in her time – her infamous ledger is dripping with a bright and deep crimson red that she had hoped to blot out before her time came. As the battle rages on around her and she slows more and more and she watches her teammates falter and stumble more and more she decides that _this, this_ is the Hell she deserves. Knowing that it is coming and unable to stop it. Knowing that no matter how hard she tried – she will still die with ledger just as red as the day she went into Kolkata, India to retrieve one of the Avengers power hitters – no matter how people or times she's helped saved a city/the world, she is still dripping… dripping… dripping… That does not mean, however, that she will not fight until the very last breath leaves her body. Be it by enemies weapon – or tactical nuke.

Robert Bruce Banner A.K.A. The Hulk is many things. A man – a myth – a monster. His first real friend since the "incident" simply refers to The Other guy "as an overgrown green toddler throwing one helluva tantrum". It could be why that man became his best friend. He gave him a home, a lab – but most importantly he gave him the option to run if he thought he needed to. Bruce ran – the Hulk came back when they though that Tony had been killed by the Mandarin – and neither had ever left again. Both are very tired of this fight however – but neither of them can see the Tin Man. _ Where has the Tin Man gone_?

Anthony Edward Stark A.K.A Iron Man used to be many things: Genius Playboy Billionaire Philanthropist – weapons manufacturer. He'd finally settled down with the lovely Pepper Potts (yes, he put a ring on it – they had a baby on the way, dammit) even if he hadn't managed to make the big team announcement yet. He was waiting on Rhodey to get back with him. His first human friend in the whole entire world… and he couldn't even answer a damn phone call to hear the news. Tony was kinda hurt actually. And it didn't have anything to do with that Electro Magnetic Pulse those fucking bastards had just hit him with either – or the fact that his suit wasn't responding to his commands anymore – _motherfuck_!

_*Opening Verse*_

Tony was still pretty high above the fight when his suit stopped taking commands. He could still hear communication traffic which was good – but he could also hear how badly his teammate and S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel were doing which was bad. Also, he wasn't falling out of the sky and hurtling to his death – another plus. But bad thoughts were going through his mind now, and he's starting to formulate a plan that nobody's gonna like. It will save everyone _important_ that's not dead or fatally wounded already… but… but… could he really… just…

*DON'T WASTE IT… DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE, STARK.*

*IRON MAN: YES. TONY STARK: NOT RECCOMMENDED.*

*YOU CAN TAKE AWAY MY SUITS, YOU CAN TAKE WAY MY HOME, BUT THERE IS ONE THING YOU CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY FROM ME: I AM IRON MAN.*

_*Chorus*_

Slowly wetting his lips and taking a deep breath, Iron Man called out into the Communicators, "Guys I'm out, they hit my suit with something and I'm dead in the water, we need to fall back and regroup!" He prayed to a higher being that that believed him and followed the order from the second in command. He prayed that he sounded sure and authoritative – he _was_ channeling he inner Captain Rogers after all.

And that was who responded with, "Stark! If we fall back now, we'll lost the city for sure! If you need an EVAC call for Thor!" So Steve didn't understand that they'd already lost the city and that it was only a matter of time before the World Safety Council intervened and there were all toasted – literally. Damn the man and his optimism.

"THOR! I need you to EVAC the Cap! Widow and Hawk, fall back and see if you can get the Big Guy to follow you! This is non-negotiable! WE HAVE LOST THE CITY! WE NEED TO REGROUP!" Iron Man was screaming into the Communicators. Every Avenger heard him. Every S.H.I.E.L.D. member heard him – even the members of S.H.I.E.L.D. 616 who had been forbidden from entering into the fray (even though they had the most experience with the Extremis Super Soldiers) and the Fantastic Four who were finally making their way back into their rightful dimension – a little too late.

_*Second Verse*_

__ Crown Prince Thor Odinson, God of Thunder, swooped down to scoop up a struggling Captain America and swung his hammer and his captive away from the battle while the two super assassins struggled to entice a "Giant Green Rage Monster" to follow them out of the battle while there was still smashing to be done. For a moment, they thought they would have to leave the mindless beast, until they heard their still immobile member in the sky scream out to the Hulk, "HULK! You've got to get the Squishy Twins to safety! They're GONNA GET HURT HERE!" and before either of the two assassins could protest the nickname or the fact that they could get themselves to safety, they'd been picked up – one in each fist – and Hulk-jumped nearly a mile and a half away.

_*Repeat Chorus*  
_

"TONY, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING! WE CAN'T LEAVE THESE MONSTERS TO RAMPAGE THE CITY!" Roger's screamed at Stark through the Comms. Thor had him far away now, he could no longer see the battle – they were nearing the tower where the Hulk and Assassins waited for them… _but Stark was not there_.

*BIG MAN IN A SUIT OF ARMOR. TAKE THAT OFF, WHAT ARE YOU?*

*GENIUS, BILLIONIAR, PLAYBOY, PHILANTHROPIST.*

*I KNOW GUYS WITH NONE OF THAT WORTH TEN OF YOU. I'VE SEEN THE FOOTAGE. THE ONLY THING YOU FIGHT FOR IS YOURSELF. YOU'RE NOT THE GUY TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE PLAY, TO LAY DOWN ON THE WIRE AND LET THE OTHER GUY CRAWL OVER YOU. *

*I THINK I WOULD JUST CUT THE WIRE. *

*ALWAYS A WAY OUT… YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT BE A THREAT, BUT YOU BETTER STOP PRETENDING TO BE A HERO. *

"I think I told you Cap, that'd I'd just cut the wire. If you remember our first meeting – or was it our second?" Stark breaks off to ponder this because he honestly can't remember and he really don't want to have to explain the whole cutting the wire metaphor that is his life. He can hears the others protesting in his ear – they know something's up – but they're not sure what or why – Cap is just quiet. Maybe he understands how everyday Anthony Edward Stark walked a tight wire balancing acting trying to do more good than evil in the world (his ledger was red too – possible soaked with oceans of blood compared to Natasha's) and how just one little imbalance the wrong way could send him careening into the dark side – an enemy instead of a friend. A threat instead of an ally. Tony Stark was no hero all right… but one flick of that wire sideways and he could destroy the earth and rattle Thor's precious World Tree with only a flick of his little finger. The only thing stopping him had been the family that he had found himself with after Afghanistan: Pepper, Happy, _Rhodey_. And then the Avengers came: Bruce, Clint, Natasha, Steve, Thor, _Phil_. God he couldn't lose them. He'd already lost enough. So he was going to break his promise to Pepper and to that unborn baby (boy or girl, he wonders as tears slide down his cheeks behind his facemask) and for the last time in his miserable life, he was gonna cut that fucking wire.

_*Third Verse*  
_

*HOW WILL YOUR FRIENDS HAVE TIME FOR ME, WHEN THEY'RE SO BUSY FIGHTING YOU? *

*WELL PERFOMANCE ISSUSES, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON. ONE OUT OF FIVE…*

Tony closed his external comms to his teammates knowing that they didn't need to hear what was coming next. He'd always know that this day would come – he'd just hoped he'd be a little older, a little wiser (so he could fucking avoid it dammit!) and he would have gotten to meet that baby he and Pepper had created. Oh, God Pepper. NO! Stop it! Focus! City to save – possibly world, most definitely the Avengers – his freaking _family_. So he had to do it. He took one last long deep breath in (or a deep as he could because ya know – ARC reactor) and called out to his A.I.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Sir?" The dulcet British tones soothed Tony in a way that nothing else could have in that moment. If he could have nothing else, he could have the man the practically raised him when his father was too busy searching for the Captain and his mother was too drunk to care where little Anthony had gotten off too. Edwin Jarvis had been there. When he'd passed Tony had built J.A.R.V.I.S. simply because he couldn't live without with only decent parental figure he'd even had in his life.

"You'll take care of the others for me won't you, J.A.R.V.I.S.?" Tony asked afraid.

"Sir! You can't… you can't mean…" J.A.R.V.I.S. trailed off because with Anthony Stark as his creator, he _knew _what Tony was talking about and he _feared_ it because he _felt_ the pain it would cause.

"Yeah, Jay, its time. I'm so, so sorry buddy, but I gotta do this or we lose it all. Take care of the Bots and the Tower and the houses and Pepper and the Baby – oh God the Baby – and Rhodey and the Avengers. Show them the video, okay… make sure they know that this was NOT THEIR FAULT! Please Jay, I'm beggin' you?"

"Of course Sir, I will follow orders to the letter. Is there anything else you require Sir?"

"I love you J.A.R.V.I.S. make sure the gang knows that too okay?"

"Yes, Sir. Are you sure it has to be this way sir?"

_*Chorus Rephrased*  
_

"J.A.R.V.I.S. on Voice Authorization of Anthony Edward Stark, I command you to drop us in the middle of those mother fuckers and Initialize protocol Foxtrot-Uniform-Charlie-Kilo Lima-Oscar-Kilo-India Niner-Tree-Fife".

From nearly two miles away the Avengers watch in anger and disgust as what they think is a tactical nuke is deployed in downtown Lower Manhattan. The assassins lean against one another for support while Thor attempts to catch the good Captain when he collapses. The Hulk finally shrinks down into Dr. Banner and _he_ is the one that asks the question: "Guys? Where's Tony?"

They all freeze. They'd left him there. Maybe the suit survived the blast? He'd carried the nuke into space during the Chitauri invasion and came away unscathed – they had to get back down there! But somewhere in the back of all of their minds they knew that this time was different – he'd been different. When he didn't get an answer from the remaining Avengers, Bruce directed his question skyward, "J.A.R.V.I.S.?".

"It is with my deepest condolences that I must inform you of Sir's passing. The explosion you saw in Lower Manhattan was the built-in self-destruct for the suit in case it was ever stolen or Sir was ever compromised to the point of attacking his teammates. In this instance, he used the self-destruct to decimate the attacking forces – while the blast was powerful, because it was an ARC blast there was no further property damage and I can see no more civilian causalities to be reported. The threat is gone now." J.A.R.V.I.S. summed up his report monotone and with any emotions. He's just lost his creator. Emotions were very dangerous to his programming right now.

"Tony… Tony's gone?" Steve asked shakily.

To which J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, "He is indeed sir. He wished me to tell his family that he loved them very much. And that included the Avengers. There is a video explaining things properly down in the workshop when you are ready".

_*Last Line*_

_Italics: Song Lyrics_

*DIRECT MOVIE QUOTES*


End file.
